Author and culinary school teacher Linda Bassett provides recipes for and tips on the season's freshest ingredients. She is the author of \x34From Apple Pie to Pad Thai: Neighborhood Cooking North of Boston.\x34 Reach her by email at KitchenCall@aol.
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Author and culinary school teacher Linda Bassett provides recipes for and tips on the season's freshest ingredients. She is the author of \x34From Apple Pie to Pad Thai: Neighborhood Cooking North of Boston.\x34 Reach her by email at KitchenCall@aol.com.

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Oct. 17, 2012
12:01 a.m.

I wonder why, when maple sap is the first sign of spring, we like the resulting maple syrup best in autumn?† Maybe because it goes best with pumpkin and apples and pork and pancakes and waffles.† And so many of the other goodies that are not in season or we consider too heavy for summer.† And autumn is the next best thing to spring.† After all, pancakes are best when the weather is slightly cool.
Last week, I grabbed up a few bottles of the liquid gold.† After drizzling it over hot pancakes, I’ve spent the last few days trying out a few other uses for it.† It would be such a shame to let it just sit on the shelf.† I’ve added a few drops to the apples in an apple pie. Drizzled a little into a pumpkin cheesecake recipe (although a little drizzled over the top of a slice would be a fast addition to a bakery pumpkin cheesecake). Stirred up a maple syrup-laced sauce for a pork tender.† One of the best experiments was maple butter, probably because it has the most staying power.† I can use it over and over again for a quick breakfast on toast or English muffins.
MAPLE BUTTER (Makes 3/4 cup)
Be sure to add syrup slowly so that the mixture does not separate later.
1 stick salted butter
1/4 cup real maple syrup

Soften the butter by leaving on the kitchen counter at room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.

Whip the butter in a food processor or with an electric hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy.

If using a food processor, leave the motor running and slowly pour in the maple syrup through the feed tube until incorporated into the butter.† If using an electric mixer, drizzle the syrup into the butter while continually beating.